what's an appropriate price for babysitting?

[zstrass]

What is the appropriate charge for an evening of babysitting? 14 month-old, just learned to walk, babbles but can't really say recognizable things. though i am pretty sure she said my name.

reasons to increase price:
+ nyc. specifically, park slope.
+ inflation since whenever I last babysitted in high school, when I think I charged $5/hour
+ the child is not yet toilet trained

- The child in question is a relative, so I feel that the price should be somewhat discounted.
- the child will be asleep for at least some part of the evening (if i am successful, that is, in getting her to sleep).
- the child in question is wonderful and adorable and I'm super excited to spend time with her.
I would like to make this babysitting a somewhat regular thing, so I don't want to charge too much but also don't want to say, oh i'll do it for free. $30 for the evening? Does that sound right?

Comments

[ewake.livejournal.com]

i charge other students $10/hr, because that's what i was paid to work in the on-campus daycare. that's lower than going rate (especially for someone way more experienced than a high school student) but still a decent amount of money for doing a job.

[strauss.livejournal.com]

yeah, i'd been thinking "must not be lower than minimum wage" (about $7.50 in nyc) but wanting a more even number.

[aquafolius.livejournal.com]

30 dollars for an evening with a relative's child seems reasonable.

[strauss.livejournal.com]

thanks, i just had no idea.

[starfrosting.livejournal.com]

I think because the baby's a relative but is also still a baby and lots of work, somewhere in the $10/hour range makes sense. how many hours is this evening gig meant to be? you have a better sense than I do of what's appropriate in relation to your relatives, but I think the 10/hr range is totally reasonable. do you have an idea of what the going rate might be for baby-sitting in Park Slope?

[strauss.livejournal.com]

i didn't know the going rate, but thanks to some v. nice posters below, now I know 12-14 is the going rate. so $10 for a relative sounds good and is a nice even number.

[gypsyecks.livejournal.com]

I have done some nyc babysitting, and agree with the $10-12 per hour rate for this situation.

Definitely you can ask for more in NYC (especially in Park Slope or other fancy neighborhoods, depending on the family's financial status, age of child & what needs they have).

$30 for the night seems low to me, unless that includes you not cooking dinner for yourself (i.e. here is $10-15 for you to order thai food).

anyway. just what i think.

ecks oh
M

[strauss.livejournal.com]

ooh, good point re the food. thanks.

[milosh.livejournal.com]

i've been babysitting for some folks who recently moved from park slope to the flatbush/ditmas park area, and i've been getting $13-$14 for a 4.5yo & a 6mo. so, yeah, $10ish for one baby (relative) sounds reasonable.

[milosh.livejournal.com]

that would be $13-$14 per hour, of course.

[strauss.livejournal.com]

thanks. knowing those amounts is really helpful.

[ohanawa.livejournal.com]

I have done some babsitting in Park Slope! $12 is the going rate, but you could offer $10 or $11 since they're family. They will know that's a discount, as when I was setting a price, everyone seemed to say between $12-$14 was the going rate in the Slope.

[strauss.livejournal.com]

thanks--that's good. I am sure they know the going rate, so I was a little frustrated that they asked me to set a price.

[ohanawa.livejournal.com]

Yeah-maybe they were trying to see whether they could get a big discount from you. I've been in that situation before and I usually get so flustered I set a price less than the going rate...

[strauss.livejournal.com]

yeah, i ended up saying 10, which is less but seems fair enough. It will also keep me from going out and spending money on a saturday night, as well.

this has nothing to do with baby sits

[phlat.livejournal.com]

but hey, are you gonna be at the queer CUNY conference tomorrow perchance?

might i possibly see you there?

are you ever coming to philly?

yo, call me back.


p.s. yr great.

man i'm a greedmonger

[yourmamachula.livejournal.com]

I was gonna say 50...cause there's poop involved.

hope you're well ;)

Re: man i'm a greedmonger

[strauss.livejournal.com]

raquel!!! how are you?! come to nyc!
(I ended up charging $10/hour, and I have no idea how long the evening will be. So if I'm lucky, maybe I will get $50.)

[kissystarcowboy.livejournal.com]

hey, i hadn't checked in on you in ages! you're living in nyc? me too!

[strauss.livejournal.com]

aaah!
Hi! Yes, I'm in Brooklyn. It appears from your lj that you are in Queens. We should hang out/catch up on the last few years.
::thinking:: Do you have any plans this Sunday? We could do dinner.

[skatepunkboi.livejournal.com]

I know this is late and all, but holy crap!! I give my babysitter $10 a night, not an hour! LoL I'm thinking I might be cheap! (actually that's what she asks for and I still think it's a bit pricy) Omg I AM cheap!!! :)